When was the last time you asked yourself, “Who is my customer?” As a small business owner, defining your customer, or as we call it in the marketing biz, your target audience is essential.
Why? Because it’s the first step in any marketing or communication strategy! By clearly identifying your audience, you can tailor your messaging, marketing tactics, and communication channels to meet their needs and preferences.
So, without further ado, Here are five key questions to ask when identifying your target audience:
Who is your target market?
This question refers to the demographic characteristics of your audience, such as age, gender, income, education, and location. Understanding these factors can help you tailor your messaging to resonate with your audience and develop targeted marketing campaigns.
What are their interests and hobbies?
Knowing your audience's interests and hobbies can help you create content they will find engaging and relevant. It can also help you identify potential partnerships and collaborations with other brands with similar audiences.
What are their pain points?
Understanding your audience's pain points or challenges can help you develop solutions or products that address their needs. It can also help you create messaging that speaks directly to their frustrations and positions your small business as a helpful resource.
Where [and how] do they consume information?
Knowing where your audience gets their information can help determine the best channels to reach them. For example, if your audience spends a lot of time on social media, you should focus on creating content for those channels. But keep in mind that social media isn’t always the best marketing tool for your business. Your audience may prefer traditional marketing mediums like radio ads or print publications. And don’t be afraid to use a mix of marketing mediums and social media platforms.
What motivates them to make a purchase?
Understanding your audience's motivations can help you create messaging and offers that are appealing to them. For example, if your audience values sustainability, highlight the eco-friendliness of your product in your messaging.